Tuesday, May 22, 2007

This past weekend I left the big city of Edmonton for the smaller city of Red Deer, Alberta. I went there for a book signing at Chapters. The welcome and support I received there was phenomenal. God bless those smaller cities!

My husband drove the 1.5 hours there and back, so I was able to do something I rarely have time for—read a book. I’m reading Luanne Rice’s Angels All Over Town, and is it ever good! We arrived in Red Deer early (I hate to rush) and I wasn’t expecting things to be ready for me yet, but when I entered Chapters, they had the table set up, red tablecloth and my book display. The store had just opened. Wow, that bookstore is Efficient! I grabbed a Chai tea (one of my addictions), and started to work.

What a friendly place Red Deer is. I have always enjoyed it in the past, but my signing there on Sunday was the icing on the cake. I felt like part of the ‘team’ and was often asked if I needed anything and how I was doing. A couple of hours into my signing, one of the young gals came up to me and handed me a gift card. They do a ‘random act of kindness’ where each staff member hands out a gift card to customers. But she said she wanted to give me hers because of the great job I was doing. It was so sweet and I was very grateful. I need more books. I always need books.

Then she told me that one of the gals had ‘quit’ her job that day and it was my fault. Of course she smiled when she told me this and then proceeded to explain. One of the prized positions at Chapters is the job of “greeter”. I think they must fight over this like cats and dogs! I know I would. J Apparently, Nicole--who was supposed to be greeter--decided to ‘quit’ because she said I was doing a great job greeting everyone who came into the store anyway. I hope they didn’t make her stack the shelves…yikes. Sorry, Nicole.

Hey, you guys put me at the door and I’m not going to just sit there and stare off into the distance. No matter which bookstore I am in, I always take it as my responsibility to be the unofficial store greeter. Not only that, I can usually direct customers to the washrooms, book sections, Starbucks (ok…if there is a Starbucks in a 5 mile radius, I usually know where it is!). Just don’t ask for directions to some place outside of the store. I am directionally challenged on a wider scope.

So thank you, Red Deer Chapters. You all are wonderful and I can’t wait to come back. You made my signing fun, you showed so much interest in my upcoming movie deal on The River, and you were all very efficient and enthusiastic in how you advertised beforehand and promoted me during my signing. Loved the announcements, although the first time you said “bestselling author” I had to pinch myself. (Oh yes, wait…that is me.)

And imagine my utter ecstasy when I arrived home, only to find this wonderful review waiting for me, like a reward for a signing well done.

"Whale Song is deep and true, a compelling story of love and family and the mysteries of the human heart. Cheryl Kaye Tardif has written a beautiful, haunting novel." -- NY Times Bestselling novelist Luanne Rice, author of Beach Girls and What Matters Most